Monday, January 15, 2007

Once were Fijian warriors shaking palm fans

From w.Once Fijians were warriors, using a fan made from palm leaves to wave and slap to make a frightening display and to parry enemy arrows which in Fiji were light and flimsy.

Now the fans are used in dances such as the meke iri. Fans can be made from coconut leaf, pandanus, but the best of all are leaves from the masei tree.

The tree is called vua ni masei and the botanical name is Pritchardia pacificaThe Fiji fan palm is a medium sized quick growing palm native to Fiji. This palm will grows with a straight smooth trunk with some fibre patterning at the base. It has numerous palmate leaves which are very large and nearly as wide as long. The shallowly split leaves are rich lime green with a yellowish midrib. This ornamental palm has fragrant brownish flowers. The spherical fruit is 11-12 mm in diameter, turning red then black at maturity.

A string band group from Mali Island are called Vua ni Masei.

The drawing here made made in a doctor’s garden in Suva. When I was drawing it, she said, ‘Don’t draw these shabby old trees!’ but I did. I will not do what I’m told!I'll put some variations of my picture of the Suva tree on our Geelong blog.

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About Me

Babasiga (pronounced bambasinga) is the dry land of Macuata in northern Fiji - our place in the sun in Fiji. Peceli is from Fiji from the village is Vatuadova and the beach is Nukutatava. Peceli Ratawa passed away on 27th December 2015 so this is Wendy's blog now. Wendy is an Australian and today live in Geelong, Australia.